Drivers of Total Quality Management Adoption in South African Manufacturing Companies: A Structural Equation Modelling Approach

The study’s aim is to investigate the key factors that influence the total quality management practices adopted by manufacturing organisations in the Durban steel industry. The study used quantitative approach. Data was gathered from 100 participants who were selected purposely. Robustness analysis was performed using Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) for confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) via structural equation modeling (SEM) to estimate statistical models. The results of the study proved that that that employee training, committed management, a customer-focused approach, sound relationships with suppliers, and clear goals would enable organizations in Durban’s steel industry to improve their performance and thus gain a competitive edge. The study contributes to the body of knowledge on Total Quality Management in organizations and its impact in the steel manufacturing industry. Further research is recommended to explore the impact of the adoption of Total Quality Management among South African organisations and beyond. The integration multiple theoretical frameworks. The integration of multiple theoretical frameworks such as management theory, human relations theory, Fayol’s administrative management theory and Taylor’s scientific management theory provided a novel theoretical not widely applied in South African steel manufacturing industry. The study also provided a robust agenda for future research.